http://ec.europa.eu//research/index.cfm?pg=whatsnew en Fri, 17 May 2013 13:51:11 GMT http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=rss For more RSS news feeds click the link above. Fri, 17 May 2013 13:51:11 GMT http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=rss http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_17_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=30033 A European team of researchers is exploring new ways of using fibre-optic technology to deliver ultra-high-speed internet access to even the remotest locations in Europe, at less cost and with less impact on the environment. It is ambitious, but innovative solutions are needed to strengthen Europe's digital economy and provide jobs.]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-17:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_17_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=30033 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_16_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=30013 Two professors believe they may have a promising lead from which to develop a new treatment for obesity and diabetes. ]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-16:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_16_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=30013 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-pancaresurfup&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=30014 "If I have received radiotherapy to my abdomen (to treat cancer) and I have a heart problem or a new cancer 30 years later, to what extent is this linked to the radiotherapy I received?" asks Dr Lars Hjorth of Lund University in Sweden. ]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-16:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-pancaresurfup&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=30014 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_15_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29993 Psychiatric disorders are a major, though often "hidden", health problem. It is estimated that mental disorders affect more than 160 million Europeans - 38% of the population each year. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in four of us will suffer from at least one mental disorder during our lifetime. In addition to the direct impact this has on patients and their families, the impact on national healthcare systems is significant. In Europe, the annual cost is estimated to be more than €200 billion. ]]> Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-15:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_15_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29993 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-gp&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29998 Applying advanced economic analysis to climate change policies and the efficient use of resources can sometime lead to surprising and counter-intuitive outcomes. Indeed the longer term impact of some well-intentioned policy initiative may end up having a negative impact. ]]> Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-15:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-gp&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29998 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-hiwi&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29995 Presently, drives for Fully Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Electric Vehicles develop their highest efficiency of around 93–95% within a speed range of usually 1/4 to 1/3 of the maximum, and at an ideal torque, whereas in real-life driving cycles the motor operates at a wider range of speeds and at partial load, resulting in much lower efficiency. ]]> Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-15:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-hiwi&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29995 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_13_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29953 Cancer causes some 13% of deaths worldwide. Of these deaths, some 90% are caused not by the original cancer, but by its spread to other parts of the body. These secondary cancers, known as metastases, are most often caused by 'circulating tumour cells' (CTCs) which escape from the primary tumour and travel around the body in the bloodstream. In the process, CTCs often undergo modifications that make them more resistant to treatment than the primary tumours. ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-13:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_13_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29953 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-nozzleinspect&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29956 Nuclear power accounts for one sixth of the European Union (EU)'s energy consumption, and there are power plants in 14 of the 27 member states. Safety is a priority and there are regular maintenance checks on every aspect of the plants. But what happens if cracks appear in the machinery that are so small and deep that they escape the human eye? And how can one check every corner of a nuclear reactor when some areas are, by necessity, shrouded in radiation? ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-13:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-nozzleinspect&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29956 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-modtrain&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29955 When Europe's rail pioneers created the first steam engines some two centuries ago, they gave little thought to whether their inventions might be used in other countries: while their ingenuity helped transform travel, they never got round to setting uniform rail technologies across the continent. ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-13:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-modtrain&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29955 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-3encult&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29954 From Roman temples and Gothic churches to Greek theatres and medieval castles, Europe is peppered with historic buildings that reflect its rich cultural heritage. But these monuments all need to be preserved, a task complicated by age, pollution, tourist demands and climate change. Now science is lending a hand in this task, with a new European Union research project developing measures to reduce energy loss from within old buildings. ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-13:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-3encult&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29954 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-one-p&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29936 A radio made completely of plastic? We might see them in the near future, claim scientists. In 1977 researchers discovered that certain types of plastic can conduct electricity, just like metals. Initially these plastics remained a curiosity, but by improving their electrical properties researchers have now opened the way for their use in a large number of electric and electronic devices. ]]> Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-10:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-one-p&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29936 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-supra&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29925 For pilots, one of the most difficult skills to learn is 'upset recovery' - righting a plane that has stalled or been thrown into an unstable situation due to weather or a technical problem. When a pilot is not able to fly out of an 'upset' and the plane proceeds out of control, accidents can result. And it is precisely because these extreme conditions seldom occur in real life that it is hard for a pilot to be prepared for them: up to now, no flight simulator reflects adequately how an actual aircraft behaves during upset situations. Alternative training methods – such as using large commercial aircraft for training or smaller ones – are either too dangerous or too expensive, or may not be comparable to how large aircraft behave and respond. ]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-08:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-supra&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29925 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-pegaso&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29924 Where better to enjoy a relaxing coastal trip than the Mediterranean? However, with large areas of this and the Black Sea basin under threat from environmental change, collaboration within the local scientific communities is more important than ever. ]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-08:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-pegaso&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29924 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_07_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29913 The health impact of indoor air pollution is a real environmental health issue, which is believed to have a bearing on respiratory conditions such as asthma. This has prompted a European study to take action. While outdoor pollution is often cited as the cause of many asthma related issues, indoor threats are also being addressed in the light of World Asthma Day.]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-07:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_07_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29913 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-mira&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29919 The Mediterranean sea is a huge marine ecosystem with an area of 2.5 million km². The wellbeing of this unique ecosystem is vital for the health of the 427 million people living in the countries around it and the 175 million visitors it receives each year. Nevertheless, it remains fragile and continues to deteriorate due to the devastating effects of pollution. Effective decontamination is crucial and this is just one area where the Mediterranean Innovation and Research coordination Action (MIRA) is making a welcome impact. ]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-07:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-mira&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29919 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-syscilia&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29916 A world without hearing, sight or smell; without music, the light of the day or the scent of a delicious meal. This is the reality for those who suffer from congenital cilia diseases, a condition stemming from genetic defects; they go through life missing one or more senses. ]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-07:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-syscilia&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29916 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-multimod&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29915 There are some problems that are more complicated than others, and some problems that are more common than others. Unfortunately, when it comes to disease, complex diseases are also the most common ones. ]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-07:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-multimod&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29915 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-cover&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29914 Road accidents killed almost 35,000 people in the European Union (EU)'s 27 member states in 2009, the latest year for which statistics are available. While this number represents a fall of 38% since the start of the 21st century, there is still great scope to improve vehicle safety in Europe. ]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-07:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-cover&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29914 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_04_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29893 Every time a firefighter braves an inferno, a scientist wonders if a new material or special flame-resistant coating could be created to protect him. Today, armed with nanocomposite techniques and insights into bio-based materials, new classes of smart, adaptable super-surface coatings are possible, according to European researchers.]]> Sat, 04 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-04:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_05_04_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29893 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_29_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29833 For Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, of the University of Uppsala in Sweden, news that the European Union (EU) was to provide funding for a project aimed at using research into canine genetics as a kind of 'fast-track' to help provide cures for many important human diseases marked the achievement of a long-held ambition.]]> Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-29:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_29_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29833 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_26_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29813 Age related hearing loss (ARHL) is far too easily ignored. Its onset is insidious. Its progression gradual. People with declining hearing often mistakenly believe the problem is that their conversation partners mumble or speak too quickly – and as hearing ability diminishes further, social exchanges slowly turn from fluid repertoires to too many non sequiturs. Frustrated from no longer being able to understand others well in social settings, people may stop going to the theatre or senior centres, or even just to a restaurant with friends or family. This social isolation, in turn, is associated with depression and cognitive decline. Disturbances of gait and balance have also been linked to ARHL.]]> Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-26:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_26_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29813 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_25_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29793 The UN Security Council has expressed concerns that the adverse effects of climate change could lead to certain threats to international peace and security. However, research suggests that scarcity can lead to cooperation rather than conflict. In order to improve our understanding of the factors involved, the European Union (EU)-funded CLICO project studied the world's most exposed and vulnerable areas to both floods and droughts - the Mediterranean, Middle East and Sahel (MMES) regions.]]> Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-25:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_25_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29793 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_23_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29753 Each year, twice as many people die in Europe from hospital acquired infections than from road accidents. These infectious diseases have developed antibiotic resistance and spread despite the best efforts of staff, mainly through textiles like bed linen. But the technology developed by a European research project helps fight back against the so-called superbugs, by using a revolutionary nanotechnology to treat bed linen and other textiles.]]> Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-23:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_23_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29753 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_17_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29693 Europe and the Mediterranean contain more World Heritage sites than any other global region. These sites include hundreds of museums, churches, houses and castles that capture Europe’s rich history over the centuries. ]]> Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-17:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_17_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29693 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_10_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29633 In the decades ahead, landslide risk will probably increase in some regions of Europe as a consequence of climate change and growing population. But landslides’ danger can be hidden: though their destruction is plain, in official data landslides are often lumped in with their triggers, such as extreme precipitation, earthquakes or floods. This means that damage wrought by landslides is generally underestimated by analysts, and public awareness of landslide risk is less than that of comparable natural hazards. ]]> Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-10:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_10_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29633